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Apr 26, 2021
I started off watching the first season of The Irregular at Magic High School and was absolutely blown away. Alternate universe? "Scientific magic"? Political themes dealing with the military and espionage? Unstoppable main character? The show had everything I wanted, and I craved for more.
I'm happy to tell others that enjoyed the series as much as I did that the light novel series is even better. This was my first entry into the world of light novels, and it was great.
Story:
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the series, Irregular does a great job at portraying the vast relationships in a world that takes place
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decades after a hypothetical World War 3, in which powerful magic technology was used.
Where Irregular shines particularly is in its worldbuilding. For those interested in modern conflicts, the series will certainly interest you. From dealings with the mafia and JSDF, to combating a new Soviet Union and China, the series tackles many different sides of the world.
In this world lies our two siblings, Tatsuya and Miyuki. Do you like overpowered characters? These are some of the most overpowered characters you'll get. With power comes great responsibility, and we'll be seeing how various challenges present themselves to them. As a reader, we are confident that they can overcome anything that gets thrown at them; the enjoyment comes from seeing how they do that. At the same time, we journey alongside them as they explore not only a hostile world, but also their own "sibling" relationship.
There are a few faults, however. One of the most glaring ones is the dragging out of plot lines. While the beginning was more quick and fast paced, it faltered out particularly towards the final volumes. It is obvious that Tsutomu Satou, the light novel's author, is inexperienced in his writing. There is also a generous amount of "technobabble". There are complex explanations given for different magic theories and spells that can take up pages of text. I didn't mind it too much, but others may be dissuaded by it.
The series has been accused of being a hotbed of Japanese right-wing nationalism. While I won't go in depth to that, I will say that the setting takes place in an incredibly hostile world with a human population that's less than half the population in our real world. It is no surprise that nationalism would be present in this series.
That being said, I was still entertained and engulfed in the world he created.
Art:
Kana Ishida did a good job with the art. It got the job done and portrayed key events in each volume well. Reading volume by volume, you will also see how Ishida's art improves and evolves. By the time we get to Volume 32, her art is miles better than the art from Volume 1. It was quite pleasant to see this advancement.
Character:
The Irregular mentioned in the title, Tatsuya Shiba, also nicknamed Godsuya. He is by far the most overpowered character in the series. He is not only physically strong but also extremely intelligent. His emotional growth is stunted due to circumstances explained in the novel, but we see him progress as a character through the series.
The second one of the siblings is Miyuki Shiba. She is, in short, a "brocon". Her own character centers around Tatsuya, so I do feel like her character growth is diminished in some ways, but she can certainly stand on her own as well.
The relationships between the siblings are a topic of contention in the series as well as the fanbase. I won't give spoilers, but I personally really enjoyed seeing how their relationship grew throughout the series.
Don't expect fleshed out side characters however. While they do get attention, some more than others, the main focus is centered on the pair of siblings.
Overall Enjoyment:
The Irregular at Magic High School proves itself to be a classic in the light novel medium. From its engaging storyline to its action packed fight scenes, the series never fails to keep you entertained. There is just "badassery" all around.
All hail Godsuya.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 10, 2020
May These Leaden Battlegrounds Leave No Trace.
In typical light novel fashion, the long title relates to the overall plot of the story, which one will see immediately upon entering the novel.
This novel series has great potential. It has an interesting story, that, while not unique by any means, can still hold readers invested in the world it takes place in.
Unfortunately, I found the overall writing quality of the book lacking. Events that have little correlation to each other spring up in succession, leaving me feeling a bit confused at what was going on. There doesn't seem to be any plot consistency as continuity
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errors are numerous. The author writes down one thing as fact and then suddenly blows it away a few pages later without any explanation.
The characters are standard. They don't break any new ground and fit into your classic archetypes. That being said, they aren't terrible and serve as a decent set of eyes for the reader to peer through. The art is also average; it's not particularly memorable, but it gets the job done.
I will also note that despite some early comparisons when the series first came out, Leaden Battlegrounds is quite different than 86. They both share a setting of bloodshed and constant warfare, but that's about it.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this series. For all its faults, I still found myself eager to flip the page and see what happens next in the dreary world our protagonists found themselves in. I look forward to reading the next volumes and hope that as time goes on, the writing quality will improve, and the novel's great potential will be fulfilled.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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May 26, 2020
A fluffy, cute, and fairly short read.
When a manga's story is simple, it relies on other aspects to carry it, such as its characters, artwork, and more. In this case, the characters are fairly plain and fit into the generic archetypes. We have an innocent senpai who is insecure about her child-like stature along with her kouhai who is struggling in his job but is devoted to improving. There really isn't much else to comment on them; it's such a short read that there wasn't much time to develop upon the characters.
The comedy was bland at best; I don't think I so much even
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smiled throughout the series. For a series tagged with romance, there wasn't much of it, only intensifying towards the final chapters of the manga.
The artwork wasn't anything special, but it got the job done.
All in all, "My Short Senpai Is Way Too Cute" is another average series you can read whenever you feel bored and are looking for something straightforward.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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